The storm raged violently across the island.
Lightning split the sky.
Thunder rolled like distant war drums.
And deep within the forest—
Fire clashed against steel.
Aishwarya moved first.
Her leg, wrapped in blazing fire, shot forward—
THUD—!!!
Kamali blocked the strike with her metal claws, sparks bursting on impact.
Without pause, Aishwarya twisted her body and drove a flaming punch toward Kamali's chest.
Kamali crossed her claws again—
CLANG—!!!
The blow stopped.
Their eyes locked.
Then—
They moved.
Fast.
Claw strikes.
Fire punches.
Dodges.
Counters.
The forest floor cracked beneath their relentless exchange.
Aishwarya spun—
But before she could continue—
WHACK—!!!
Booma's nunchaku came from behind.
Aishwarya ducked just in time, the weapon slicing through the air above her head.
She retaliated instantly—
A kick aimed at Booma's ribs.
But—
CLACK—!!!
Booma intercepted it mid-motion with his nunchaku.
The impact echoed sharply.
Aishwarya leapt back.
Breathing heavier now.
Eyes sharp.
"They're perfectly coordinated…" She thought.
Kamali rushed again.
Booma followed.
Their attacks overlapped seamlessly—
No openings.
No hesitation.
Aishwarya blocked, dodged, countered—
But step by step—
They pushed her back.
Her boots dragged through the dirt.
"At this rate… I'll lose."
She kicked off Booma's weapon and created distance.
Her fists ignited brighter.
"No more holding back."
Flames surged violently around her arms.
"Fireballs!"
She thrust both hands forward.
FWOOOSH! FWOOOSH! FWOOOSH!
Dozens of blazing spheres shot toward them.
Kamali slashed through some.
Booma deflected others.
But there were too many.
The fireballs closed in—
Then—
Booma raised his hand.
Wind gathered instantly.
A tornado formed around them.
WHOOOOOO—!!!
The fireballs collided with the spinning wind—
And ignited it.
A massive fire vortex erupted.
Kamali's eyes widened.
"What—?!"
Booma clenched his teeth and dispersed it instantly.
Smoke exploded outward.
Visibility vanished.
Silence.
Then—
FWOOSH—!!!
Aishwarya burst from the smoke.
Her leg, blazing like a comet—
BOOM—!!!
It slammed into Booma.
He was sent flying across the ground.
Before Kamali could react—
Aishwarya closed the gap.
Her fist drove forward—
THUD—!!!
It struck Kamali's stomach.
Kamali coughed violently—
Blood spraying from her mouth as she was thrown into a tree.
CRACK—!!!
The trunk splintered under impact.
Kamali slumped against it, struggling to stand.
Her legs trembled.
Her breathing uneven.
Aishwarya walked toward her slowly.
Flames burned brighter around her fists.
"…It's over."
Kamali looked up.
Her expression… changed.
A smile.
A calm, unsettling smile.
Aishwarya leapt forward.
Her flaming fist descended.
But—
The fire vanished.
Instantly.
"…What?!"
Her flames were gone.
Completely extinguished.
For a split second—
She froze.
And that was enough.
Kamali moved.
Her claws slashed forward—
SHHHK—!!!
They tore across Aishwarya's abdomen.
Blood sprayed.
"—AAH!!"
Aishwarya was thrown backward.
She hit the ground hard.
Pain exploded through her body.
Her vision blurred.
Her hand instinctively clutched her wound.
Warm blood seeped between her fingers.
Booma walked forward, brushing dust off his shoulder.
Kamali stood straight now.
No sign of weakness.
"…So you were pretending," Aishwarya said, breathing heavily.
Kamali smirked.
"You really thought your attacks could damage me that much?"
Booma cracked his neck.
"Now… we finish this."
Aishwarya tried to stand—
But her body trembled.
"I can't fight like this…" She thought. "I need time…"
Kamali lunged forward.
Claws aimed at her throat—
Aishwarya slammed her hand to the ground.
"INFERNAL ERUPTION!"
BOOOOOOM—!!!
Flames burst from the earth between them.
Kamali jumped back instinctively.
When the fire cleared—
Aishwarya was gone.
Booma clicked his tongue.
"She escaped."
Kamali smirked faintly.
"With that injury…"
"She won't go far."
In the deep forest, Aishwarya was running.
Her breathing uneven.
Her hand pressed tightly against her wound.
Blood trailed behind her.
"…I underestimated them…"
She stumbled slightly but kept moving.
"…They have far more experience…"
She hid behind a tree.
Tore a piece of cloth from her shirt.
Wrapped it tightly around her wound.
"…That should slow the bleeding."
She exhaled deeply.
"…Now… I strike back."
But suddenly—
The wind changed.
Violent.
Chaotic.
Leaves lifted.
Trees bent.
"What…?"
A tornado formed around her instantly.
WHOOOOOO—!!!
She was trapped.
"What is this?!"
Then—
A strange gas filled the vortex.
Aishwarya covered her mouth.
"…Gas?!"
But it was too late.
Her body weakened.
Her vision blurred.
Her knees buckled.
"…Sleeping… gas…"
Her voice faded.
"…No…"
She collapsed.
Darkness consumed her.
The tornado disappeared.
The gas cleared.
Kamali and Booma stepped forward.
"It worked perfectly," Kamali said.
Booma nodded.
"We don't have time to waste."
Kamali tied Aishwarya tightly.
Lifted her onto her shoulder.
"Let's go."
Elsewhere—
The forest trembled.
Lioran dashed forward.
His fist glowing with golden Prāṇa.
"PRĀṆA FIST!"
He struck—
But his punch stopped mid-air.
"…Again."
Bheem's prāṇa layer was protecting him.
Bheem countered instantly.
"PRĀṆA FIST!" He was going to punch.
Lioran barely jumped back in time.
"Oh?" Bheem smirked.
"Running already?"
Lioran straightened. "I'm not running. I've already beaten you once. Why would I run now?"
Bheem's expression darkened.
"That time… I underestimated you."
He crouched slightly—
Then drove his hand into the ground.
"…But this time…"
"I'll use everything."
He ripped a massive chunk of earth from the ground—
And hurled it.
Lioran punched through it.
BOOM—!!!
But—
Behind it—
Bheem appeared.
His fist already coming down.
Lioran barely dodged.
The punch struck the ground—
CRAAAAASH—!!!
The earth shattered violently.
Lioran countered—
"PRĀṆA KICK!"
But again—
Stopped.
Mid-air.
"…That defense…"
Lioran pushed himself back.
"…So irritating. How much did he train… to reach this level?"
Bheem observed him carefully.
"…Faster."
"…Sharper."
"…You've grown."
Their eyes locked.
The storm howled around them.
Both understood—
This wasn't a fight anymore.
It was a battle for survival.
Only one of them—
Would walk away alive.
TO BE CONTINUED…